By John Feng Newsweek
A satellite image revealed a dramatic maneuver by the USS Harry S. Truman days before it lost a fighter jet overboard, with the aircraft carrier coming under fire from Houthi fighters as it carried out airstrikes against them for over a month.
Why It Matters
A sharp turn captured in a new satellite image may reveal the kind of evasive maneuver a U.S. aircraft carrier made while under attack from Houthi missiles and drones—possibly explaining the loss of an aircraft and underscoring the persistent threat posed by the Iran-backed Yemeni group despite weeks of U.S. airstrikes.
What To Know
The satellite image showed the U.S. carrier that lost the plane making a dramatic turn on April 25. The carrier's maneuver, spotted in imagery shared on X by ship spotter MT Anderson, was captured by European Space Agency satellites.
An F/A-18E Super Hornet fell overboard into the Red Sea on Monday, reportedly as it was actively being towed in the hangar bay when the crew lost control of the aircraft aboard the USS Harry S. Truman, the U.S. Navy said in a statement.
The carrier group and its aircraft are still fully able to carry out their mission, it added.
Naval experts suggested the Truman could have made a hard turn to dodge Houthi fire and that this could have led to the loss of the aircraft.
The group said it targeted the U.S. carrier on Monday with missiles and drones for several hours, claiming they forced it to retreat to a previous position in the "far north of the Red Sea," according to a statement by military spokesperson Yahya Saree.
President Donald Trump ordered a "decisive" military action against the group on March 15. More than a month into operations, the army deployed a second aircraft carrier into the Middle East, but the campaign has not stopped Houthi attacks.
The U.S. said a sustained bombing campaign that the U.S. says has cut the group's capabilities by more than half.
The Houthis have disrupted a major shipping route with missile attacks on vessels, citing support for Hamas and Palestinians in Gaza in the war since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023.
What People Are Saying
U.S. Navy: "All personnel are accounted for, with one Sailor sustaining a minor injury. The F/A-18E was actively under tow in the hangar bay when the move crew lost control of the aircraft. The aircraft and tow tractor were lost overboard. Sailors towing the aircraft took immediate action to move clear of the aircraft before it fell overboard."
Retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Jeffrey Fischer told Newsweek on Monday that the fighter could just have made a hard turn: "I don't know the circumstances, but if I was forced to guess, I'd look at ops tempo and if deck handlers were being over worked with minimal sleep."
What Happens Next
The incident remains under investigation, as CENTCOM vowed to "continue to ratchet up the pressure" to restore regional deterrence and maritime security, while the Houthis escalate retaliation.
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This story was originally published April 29, 2025 at 3:45 AM.
